The first government shutdown in nearly seven years began at midnight after lawmakers failed to reach a deal on extending funding.

While Social Security checks, mail and student loan bills will still be delivered, millions of workers are still set to suffer financial hardship.

The failure to reach a budget agreement will shut down much of the federal government on Wednesday, but that won’t stop the flow of several critical benefits, including Social Security retirement and disability payments, which are sent to more than 74 million people each month.

The U.S. Senate adjourned Tuesday without reaching a deal on extending federal funding, meaning a federal government shutdown is expected to begin at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.

House Republicans' National Republican Congressional Committee launches ads in 42 battleground districts blaming Democrats for the federal government shutdown.

The EPA will pause research work, grants, permits and inspections while the government is shut down. Nearly all staff will stop working. Some may not be rehired.

The Speaker of the House clashed with CNN's Kaitlin Collins hours before the government shutdown went into effect.

Ahead of Wednesday's government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on Tuesday posted a banner in large type on its homepage blaming the shutdown on the "Radical Left," an allegation that an ethics group said was a "blatant violation" of the Hatch Act.